Composite body consisting of at least two component parts such as profiles

ABSTRACT

A window or door frame assembly having formed elements, extrusions, profiles or the like held together by joining insulating pieces interfitting and connecting the formed elements, the whole assembly containing a foamed filling compound serving functions of insulating, stiffening, holding, expanding and tensioning of the connecting means simultaneously.

Umted States Patent 11 1 1111 3,832,818 Nahr Sept. 3, 1974 [54]COMPOSITE ODY CONSISTING OF 3,393,487 7/1968 Nolan 49/010. 1 LEAST woCOMPONENT PARTS SUCH 3,517,472 6/1970 Toth 52/309 AS PROFILES FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [76] Inventor: Helmar Nahr, 54 Nurnberger219,032 12/1958 Australia .1 52/586 Strasse, 8530 Neustadt-Aisch,672,892 3/1966 Belgium 49/D1G. 1 Germany 1,383,777 11/1964 France 52/620539,071 8/1941 Great Britain 52/620 [22] Fil d: Jun 1, 197 282,64512/1964 Netherlands 52/586 2,005,438 12/1969 France 49/010. 1 [21] Appl148437 1,358,454 3/1964 France 52/619 1,454,762 10 1966 France 49/DlG. 1[52] US. Cl 52/731, 52/309, 49/DIG. l [51] Int. Cl. E04g 21/00, E0402/26 Primary Examiner-Frank L. Abbott [58] Field of Search 52/379, 421,426, 425, Assistant ExaminerHenry Raduazo 52/427, 309, 731, S86; 49/DIG.1 TB Attorney, Agent, or Firml-lofgren, Wegner, Allen,

Stellman & McCord [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [57]ABSTRACT 999,533 8/1911 Weitzel 52/619 1,188,919 6 1916 England. 52/426or-door gn fi i g 1,848,715 3 1932 Hart 1 52/619 P es 6 e e oge y 2 369373 2H9 Sheldon 52,615 jOlIlll'lg lnsulatlng pleces lnterfittmg andconnectmg 3,037,590 6 1962 Parleckai... 1:: 52/619 the fmmdelememsa theWhole assembly comining 3 3,156,332 11/1964 Cameron 52/731 foamed fillmgCompound Sen/"1g functlons 0f lflsulat- 3,209,501 10/1965 HOhl 52 620ing, st f ni g, h g, expanding and tensioning of 3,289,375 12/1966 Clinethe connecting means simultaneously. 3,290,823 12/1966 Okumoto...3,332,170 7/1967 Bangs 49 1310. 1 5 Claims, 9 Drawing FiguresPATENTEUSEP3 m4 SHEEI 20$ 2 A AYA VMY Av COMPOSITE BODY CONSISTING OF ATLEAST TWO COMPONENT PARTS SUCH AS PROFILES BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENTINVENTION.

The present invention relates to an element assembled from at least twopartial elements, for example from profiles, wherein the partialelements enclose a wholly or partially closed cavity, comprising a jointpre venting the folding apart of the partial elements and a fillercompound filling the cavity.

A body of this kind is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,156,332, for examplein the form of a wing structure for a window. The wing structure isassembled from two channel-shaped metal profiles. The two legs of thechannel-shaped metal profiles are provided with shoulders or undercutsand are interconnected by a hard insulating profile engaging behind theundercuts. The insulating profile has the object of preventing thetransfer of heat between the two metal profiles. In order to improve thethermal insulation further, the cavity formed by the two metal profilesis filled with a foamed compound. Apart from the thermal insulation, thefiller compound has no further function.

The above-mentioned U.S. Patent stresses expressly that the insulatingprofiles may be easily inserted between the metal profiles and withdrawntherefrom (column 4, lines 36 to 38 of the U.S. Patent). Obviously, arelative displacement of the assembled metal profiles is to be preventedonly by assembling the corresponding parts of the window wing structureduring the final assembly under formation of 90 corners. However, such asolution is unsatisfactory. On the one hand, the metal profiles, whichare not fixed relative to each other, tend to rattle, and on the otherhand the assembly of the individual legs of the wing is more expensiveand time wasting if the metal profiles have shifted, either prior to theassembly of the window wing, for example during the storing ortransportation or if they shift during the assembly.

For this reason, other systems have been developed for fixing metalprofiles against displacement after the assembly.

It is known, for example, from German Pat. No. 1,066,343 to roll aninsulating profile of plastic firmly between two metal profiles.However, this has the drawback that the configuration of the profile iscon- 1 siderably limited, in particular with regard to the maximumpermissible width of profile, because the insulating profile must berolled in from both sides and there is no possibility of arrangingseveral insulating profiles side by side.

It is also known to fill the cavity between two metal profiles withcast, liquid, subsequently solidifying synthetic resin. This has thedisadvantage of requiring expensive calibrated molds, which makes thefabrication expensive.

Finally, it is also known from German Pat. No. 1,247,759, to fill thecavity between two metal profiles with hard foam. This type ofmanufacture has the drawback that either also expensive molds arerequired, or else a closed, pressure-tight cavity which can, however, befilled with foam only with great difficulties in view of the unfavorableratio between cross-section and length. In addition, there is the riskthat the hard foam softens at high temperatures, so that the jointbetween the two metal profiles, formed only by the foam, does notexhibit the necessary temperature stability. In order to overcome thisdefect, auxiliary construction, for example securing pins, are usedwhich have, inturn, the disadvantage of bridging the thermal insulation.

The present invention may, therefore, provide an element of the kindhereinbefore described in which the partial elements, for example theprofiles, are fixed relative to each other, while the disadvantages ofthe known solutions are avoided. In addition, the shape of the bodyaccording to the invention, for example of the profiles, should bevariable within wide limits.

According to the present invention the partial elements are pushed apartby the filler compound to such an extent that the connection is stressedin tension, thereby fixing the partial elements also againstdisplacement.

The disclosure of the invention applies generally to a body assembledfrom at least two partial elements. It is based on the combination of atension joint, preventing the moving apart of the partial elements, e.g.by stops, and a filler compound tending to push the partial elementsapart.

The disclosure according to the invention applies more particularly alsoto bodies, the partial elements of which are formed by metal profilesfor windows, doors and the like. In this case, the connecting elementsfor producing the tension joint may be formed by profiled connectingrails, having for example a double T profile, a double T profile withlug, a U profile, a U profile with lug, or a similar profile, and whichare fitted into undercut grooves of the metal profile. The profiledconnecting rails are preferably so dimensioned that they engage withclearance into the undercut grooves and may be easily pushed into thegrooves. This clearance facilitates the assembly dissimilarly to that ofthe wing structure according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,156,332. However, thedisadvantage of the possibility of a displacement of the metal profilesafter the assembly is here eliminated because the filler compound pushesthe metal profiles, in accordance with the disclosure of the invention,apart to such an extend that the double T profiles are stressed intension and the corresponding parts of the double T profiles and of themetal profiles rest firmly on each other under friction. The clearancehas not only the advantage of faclitating the assembly, but it alsomakes possible the escape of air from the cavity during the expansion ofthe filler compound. However, the filler compound cannot escape throughthe gaps formed by the clearance because during the increase in volume,the filler compound enters into the gaps and sets there.

The profiled connecting rails may be made, for example, of a thermallyinsulating, rigid material, preferably hard plastic, while the fillercompound may be a foam mixture the volume of which increases afterpenetration into the cavity under the application of heat or otheractivation.

The advantages of the invention are demonstrated particularly clearly inthe special case in which the partial elements are metal profiles, e.g.for windows, doors or the like, which are interconnected by profiledconnecting rails and held apart by hard foam applied into the cavity:mechanically the advantage is that the metal profiles are combined toform an absolutely rigid body, e.g. a leg for a window wing. The thermaladvantage is that the major part of the cross-section of the body isformed by hard foam which is an excellent insulator,

while the connecting rails which are less effective insulators have onlya very small cross-section compared with the hard foam.

Apart from the above, it is not necessary for the partial bodies to beinterconnected by engaging projecting edges, undercuts, T-shaped webs orthe like. It is, for example, also possible to provide elasticconnecting parts on at least one partial element which co-operate withcorresponding parts on at least one other partial body, so that a joint,preventing the folding apart of the partial bodies, is made by snapengaging the said connecting parts. The filler compound acts also herein accordance with the disclosure of the invention.

The invention also relates to a method for fabricating a body of thekind hereinbefore described from two partial elements and a foamingfiller compound, wherein the partial elements are interconnected by atension joint preventing them from folding apart.

The method according to the invention is characterized in that at leastone of the partial bodies receives on its side defining the cavity thefoaming filler compound, and in that the tension joint is madesimultaneously with or after this application, but before or during theincrease of the volume of the filler compound.

The method according to the invention offers special advantages if thepartial elements are formed from oblong profiles which are displacedrelative to each other longitudinally to form the tension joint, whereinthey either directly engage by means of edges, undercuts or the like ormake engagement with suitably profiled connecting elements. In thiscase, at least one of the profiles may pass below a pouring head forreceiving the filler compound during the same operation. Thelongitudinal joint between the profiles is closed tightly after theincrease of the volume of the filler compound.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be furtherdescribed, by way of example, with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, showing embodiments thereof, and in which:

FIG. 1 shows a window produced by means of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section along the line II-II through a wing and frameleg of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of two partial elements connected by themethod in accordance with the invention;

FIGS. 4,5 and 6 are partial cross-sections through partial elementsconnected in accordance with the invention and having differentlyconstructed profiled rails;

FIG. 7 is a cross-section through two other partial elements connectedin accordance with the invention;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of a device operating in accordance with thefabricating method according to the invention and serving particularlyfor connecting profiled metal rails for windows, doors and the like; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the pouring head and the twoprofiled metal rails in FIG. 8.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The principle of theinvention will further be explained with reference toFIG. 3. The twopartial elements are formed by two profiled metal rails 30, 31. Each ofthe two rails 30, 31 is provided with two undercut grooves. Profiledconnecting rails 32, 33 made of hard plastic or hard rubberengage intothe two undercut grooves. The two connecting profiles have a double Tcross-section. The connecting profiles 32,33 and the undercut grooves inthe profiled metal rails 30, 31 are so dimensioned that the profiledmetal rails engage with clearance into the undercut grooves. The cavityenclosed by the two profiled metal rails 30, 31 is filled with hard foam41. The hard foam has formed in this cavity from a liquid startingproduct under increase of volume, assuming the maximum possible volumein the cavity 40. That means that the two profiled metal rails 30, 31have been pushed apart by the hard foam 41 to the extent permitted bythe clearance. The two connecting profiles 32, 33 are, therefore,stressed in tension. Examining, for example, the connecting pro file 33it may be seen that it rests under the action of this tensile stresswith its flanges on the undercuts 34, 35, 36, 37 of the correspondinglyundercut grooves. At these points friction occurs which prevents themetal profiles 30, 31 from being displaced in the longitudinaldirection. The metal profiles 30, 31 are also prevented from moving inother directions and form, therefore, a rigid body. The air gaps 38, 39between the metal profiles and the connecting profiles show that theabove mentioned dimensioning permits the metal profiles to be easilyfitted into the grooves. The body formed from the two metal profiles 30,31 is, for example, characterized in that the two metal profiles areextremely well insulated from each other against a transfer of heat. Themajor part of the cross-section is taken up by the hard foam 41 which isa very bad conductor of heat. The connecting profiles 32, 33 have aslightly less efficient thermal insulation, but their proportion of thetotal cross-section is very small.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show three other possibilities for forming metalprofiled rails and connecting profiles. The profile 42 of the connectingprofile in FIG. 4 is a double T cross-section with lug 43. Theconnecting profile 44 in FIG. 5 is a U-shaped profile and the connectingprofile 45 in FIG. 6 is a U-shaped profile with lug 46. Many otherpossible profiles are conceivable for use in this manner.

FIG. 7 shows how a profiled plastic rail 51 may be combined with aprofiled metal rail to form a solid body. The material of the profiledplastic rail 51 is elastic. The profiled plastic rail 51 has twoundercut grooves 56, 57 which engage into two flanges 54, of theprofiled metal rail 50. The cavity 58, formed by the profiled plasticrail 51 and the profiled metal rail 50, is again filled with hard foam59 which pushes the profiled plastic rail 51 and the profiled metal rail50 apart to such an extent that the flanges 54, 55 rest tightly on theundercuts 52, 53 of the undercut grooves 56, 57. The resulting frictionprevents the displacement of the profiled plastic rail 51 relative tothe profiled metal rail 50. The assembly between the profiled plasticrail 51 and the profiled metal rail 50 may either be effected by pushingthe flanges 54, 55 into the substantially larger grooves 56, 57.However, it is also possible to bend the legs of the profiled plasticrail 51, so that a snap fit is formed over the whole length. The members50, 51 shown in FIG. 7 need not be profiled rails, but could also bedisc-shaped elements with which the same connecting mechanism can beused.

The invention finds a very practical application for example for thefabrication of a metal window of the kind shown in FIG. 1. The metalwindow consists of a stationary frame 2 and a movable wing 3. The wing 3contains the window pane 4. In such metal windows it is a known objectto prevent the transfer of heat between the inside and the outside. FIG.2 shows how this may be achieved. The frame leg 2, shown incrosssection, consists of two profiled metal rails 5, 7. The metal rail5 encloses a cavity 6 filled with air and serving as a mounting (supportfor corner angle). The two profiled metal rails 5 and 7 are connected bytwo profiled connecting rails 8 and 14 after the manner shown in FIG. 3.The cavity between the two profiled metal rails 5 and 7 is filled withhard foam 9. In this manner, the profiled metal rail 5 on the inside ofthe window is thermally insulated against the profiled metal rail 7 ofthe outside of the window. The corresponding wing leg consists of aprofiled metal rail 15 on the inside of the window and a profiled metalrail 17 on the outside of the window. The profiled metal rail 15 forms acavity 16 which is filled with air and serves as heat insulation. Thetwo profiled metal rails 15 and 17 are connected by two profiledconnecting rails 18 and 24. The cavity between the two profiled metalrails 15 and 17 is again filled with hard foam 19. A further profiledmetal rail 22 is clamped to the profiled metal rail 15 and serves formounting the window pane 4. The pane 4 consists of two insulating glasspanes 25 and 26 which form a cavity between themselves. In order toprovide a tight joint between the wing 3 and the frame 2, rubberprofiles 13, 23 are provided at the joints and are mounted,respectively, on the frame and on the wing.

It is essential for the invention that the legs of the wing 2 and of theframe 3 consist each of rigidly interconnected profiled metal railswhich are well thermally insulated against each other. The rigidconnection is of the utmost importance for a rational and simpleassembly of the four legs to form a wing or a frame.

FIG. 9 shows how two profiled metal rails 67, 69 may be effectivelycombined to form a rigid body. The metal rail 69 is firmly held in itsplace. The profiled connecting rails 79, 80 are already engaged intocorrespondingly undercut grooves of the profiled metal rail 67. Thefitting of the profiled connecting rails 79, 80 is particularly simplebecause, as already mentioned above, the connecting rails engage withclearance in the undercut grooves. The profiled metal rail 67 is nowpushed in the direction of the arrow relative to the profiled metal rail69, while the profiled connecting rails 79, 80 engage into the undercutgrooves of the profiled metal rail 69. A viscous liquid 81 is deliveredfrom a stationary pouring head 74 and flows on to the base of theprofiled metal rail 67, defining the cavity 82. The liquid 81 is thestarting compound for a hard foam which forms, subsequently during thepassage of time, under application of heat or by other activation, inthe cavity 82 enclosed by the two profiled metal rails 67 and 69. Thehard foam pushes the two profiled metal rails 67 and 69 apart and sealsthe remaining gaps. The foam mixture is applied to the pouring head 74through a connection 75 and compressed air through connection 76.

FIG. 8 shows a device for carrying out the method according to theinvention, such as shown in FIG. 9. The machine has a frame 61, on theright side of which is a conveyor belt 64. The conveyor belt 64 runsover two rollers 62, 63 of which the roller 63 is driven by a motor 65via a belt 66. On the left side of the frame 61 is a roller track 68. Inaddition, the frame has a mounting 78 for a pouring head 74. The pouringhead is adapted to be displaced in the mounting as indicated by thedouble headed arrow. The pouring head 74 communicates through a conduit75 with a tank 73 containing the starting mixture for the foam. Aconduit 76 connects the pouring head 74 with a compressor 77. Theprofiled metal rail 69 is mounted on two supports 71, 72, adapted to betilted towards the left. It is clamped tight by clamping device adaptedto be displaced vertically in the direction of the double headed arrow.The profiled metal rail 67 rests on the conveyor and is moved by theconveyor belt towards the left in the direction of the arrow. Theforward movement is achieved by an abutment 60 on the conveyor belt.When the profiled metal rail 67 impinges on the support 71, the lattertilts towards the left. The same hap pens with the support 72. After thetilting of the support 71, 72, the profiled metal rail 67 performs theirsupporting function. The device may be operated from a control desk 83.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in theart.

I claim:

1. A frame body construction comprising at least two shaped elongatedmembers, each member being opposite parts of the frame body and having aprofile with opposite portions spaced apart but generally defining anelongated cavity between such opposite parts, each body part havingmeans fonning a channel lengthwise of the body part including a profilewall, a first flange extending generally parallel to and spaced from theV profile wall and a second flange extending from the profile wall inspaced relation to the first flange, said wall and flanges togetherdefining said channel open toward the opposite frame body member, saidframe body parts having said first flanges opposite each other;

elongated connecting rails generally closing the space between andhaving flanges loosely engaging the opposite portions of each memberbehind said frame body flanges in said frame body channels;

said respective opposite flanges of said body parts and rails havingloose fitting interengagement of said rail flanges in said body partchannels permitting easy assembly of body parts and rails withoutinterference while retaining said body parts and rails in looseassembled relation against separation; and said loose fit providing gapsand clearances between the shaped members and rails exposed to saidcavity past said second flanges;

and a filler compound filling said elongated cavity, said compound beingexpanded in the cavity to push the members apart so that the firstflanges engage against the connecting rail flanges tensioning the railsand entering about the interior portion of said rail flanges to pressthe rail and body part first flanges together face to face tighteningthe engagement between the connection means and shaped members, saidexpanded compound and connecting rails holding the members againstrelative movement forming a unitary rigid frame body.

2. A body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shaped members are providedwith flanges, and the tension members are metal profiles for window,doors or the like, and wherein the connecting elements comprise athermally insulating rigid hard synthetic resin material.

5. A body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tiller compound is a foammixture, the volume of which increases after its application into thecavity, in one or more occurrences of lapse of time and of theapplication of heat.

1. A frame body construction comprising at least two shaped elongatedmembers, each member being opposite parts of the frame body and having aprofile with opposite portions spaced apart but generally defining anelongated cavity between such opposite parts, each body part havingmeans forming a channel lengthwise of the body part including a profilewall, a first flange extending generally parallel to and spaced from theprofile wall and a second flange extending from the profile wall inspaced relation to the first flange, said wall and flanges togetherdefining said channel open toward the opposite frame body member, saidframe body parts having said first flanges opposite each other;elongated connecting rails generally closing the space between andhaving flanges loosely engaging the opposite portions of each memberbehind said frame body flanges in said frame body channels; saidrespective opposite flanges of said body parts and rails having loosefitting interengagement of said rail flanges in said body part channelspermitting easy assembly of body parts and rails without interferencewhile retaining said body parts and rails in loose assembled relationagainst separation; and said loose fit providing gaps and clearancesbetween the shaped members and rails exposed to said cavity past saidsecond flanges; and a filler compound filling said elongated cavity,said compound being expanded in the cavity to push the members apart sothat the first flanges engage against the connecting rail flangestensioning the rails and entering about the interior portion of saidrail flanges to press the rail and body part first flanges together faceto face tightening the engagement between the connection means andshaped members, said expanded compound and connecting rails holding themembers against relative movement forming a unitary rigid frame body. 2.A body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shaped members are providedwith flanges, and the tension joint is formed by connecting elements onthe connecting means engaging the flanges and firmly pushed outwardly ofthe cavity against the flanges by the filler compound to form africtional lock.
 3. A body as claimed in claim 1, wherein thedimensioning of the flanged connecting rails is such that the sameengage with universal clearance all about the respective flanges intothe undercut grooves for easy lengthwise insertion into the grooves. 4.A body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shaped members are metalprofiles for window, doors or the like, and wherein the connectingelements comprise a thermally insulating rigid hard synthetic resinmaterial.
 5. A body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filler compoundis a foam mixture, the volume of which increases after its applicationinto the cavity, in one or more occurrences of lapse of time and of theapplication of heat.